A Forgotten Past
by yellowdaisy41
Summary: Ashley is a young girl with a dark and forgotten past. A chance meeting with Edward Cullen and his Family will surely change her life forever. Will she discover her secret powers? Or will the dark force hunting her find her? All Cullens, After BD.Semi-OOC
1. Chapter 1 OMI

**AN: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters. They are property of Stephenie Meyer. **

**This is my first fan fiction. I am having lots of fun with it and hope you enjoy reading it. I have some fun ideas for this story. If you have any suggestions or comments please feel free to review and tell me. I accept all feedback- the good, the bad and the ugly. **

****Please note, this chapter was edited on 3/7/09. The wonderful amesynth** **was oh so kind, and edited my previously unedited chapter... :) Chapter two was edited on 3/12/09...It should be all pretty now!**

****Oh and special request! If someone knows Italian and could correct my spelling/word choice I would greatly appreciate it. Google Translate can only go so far. **

_Great_.

I began to unzip the bag, noting the burnt popcorn smell. It really didn't bother me anymore. Wonder if I should start to worry.

I had originally thought this internship would last only a summer, give me some good experience for Med School. Now, after nearly 3 years of being a low paid slave, I couldn't see myself doing anything else. That scared me.

I peeled back the stiff plastic, and began to remove the contents. All 300 pounds of him.

"This dude was pure genius." I said aloud to no one.

I hated being alone down here. I still could not get used to it. That prick, Dr. Kox, never did any of the work, yet he got all the glory…of course, only after the crimes were solved. He could never trouble himself to come in during a weeknight. Or weekday. Or weekend, for that matter. He would much rather spend his time with his bottle of whiskey in his office. Sometimes he would peruse the secretary's ass if he was sober enough.

I looked at the man on my table. "Seriously? Head in the oven? Did you not realize it wasn't gas?" Lucky for him he had downed a bottle of sleeping pills prior to his stupidity. He had been in the oven for over 8 hours by the time his wife came home. He was nearly cooked through. Well, at least his torso was. I shook my head.

I reached for my iPod. I was going to need some "fun" music to keep me focused. It was going to be a long night, I could already tell. There was Mr. Popcorn in front of me, the lady who was found out near Mercer Island, the man who had been in his apartment for a week with his 10 hungry cats, and of course the 12 possible murder victims. Boy, Seattle knew how to make my day. Or night. Whatever.

I pressed play and gathered my tools. I loved this song. It could shake my fears away. Actually, most music could. I rocked my head a bit to the beats as the base thumped in my ears.

I worked quickly to remove the scalp. My scalpel cut easily through the receding hair line with a single incision. It reminded me of peeling an apple in one long peel.

I already knew what the brain would look like. Heck! This guy literally cooked himself, but of course I couldn't put "Cause of death: roasted and glazed for 8 hours." I doubted the family would find my joke funny. I reached for the bone saw and was just about to start the fun part when Travis walked in.

He brought a friend.

I saw his mouth moving but I couldn't hear him. I looked at him quizzically. He said something again, then pointed to his ears. Oh, yeah, ear phones. I popped them out.

"Victim lucky number 13 for you, Ash," he said with that sick little twinkle in his eye. He rolled his friend in with him. Another black body bag entering my lab.

"Found him behind a club on 6th," Trav stated. "The club owner heard some noises and went out to see what was happening. He actually saw the guy standing over the body. When he ran out to chase the guy, he just 'disappeared'." He shivered. "The look on that guys face said it all; he was terrified."

I really didn't want to deal with Trav tonight. After 3 years of working here and him hitting on me, then me turning him down, he still had not gotten the hint.

"Thanks Trav. Umm…put him over here." I pointed to the other side of my current client.

"You here alone, Ash?"

"Yeah, Dr. Kox left for the night. I still have 14 others to work on, not including this guy," I pointed to Mr. Popcorn. "Do you think the police are any closer to catching this guy? Do they have any leads?"

The fear of having another serial killer on the loose so soon after the massacre a few years ago was frightening. Not just because of the fact that people were dying but, because I would be on overtime indefinitely.

"Don't know. All I know is that when ever anyone sees the guy, he disappears. The dog's haven't even been able to find a scent to follow." He said leaving the new tenant to come to my side of the exam table.

Strange. It was all just so strange. But I was in no mood for Trav's tricks tonight.

"What the hell happened to that guy!?!" His nose started to scrunch up. Yea, I should be worried the smell didn't bother me anymore. Maybe I was truly a freak.

"Ah, well, he took a Jacques Pepin recipe but modified it. Instead of a duck, he put himself in the oven." I giggled. I was a freak. I could tell by the disgusted look on Trav's face. I should have felt bad, but I was strangely happy to see the twinkle being replaced with horror. Finally!

Maybe tonight would be the night he would learn to leave me alone. If my Jacques Pepin joke worked, I was going to have to come up with other inappropriate jokes to tell him. The horror on his face was better than love-spell eyes.

"So…Ash." He started, looking at me with puppy dog eyes.

Crap. The joke didn't turn him off enough.

I started up the saw and swiftly worked my way around the skull. Bits flew everywhere. I secretly hoped some would hit Trav, then maybe he would be so grossed out that he would have to run away to puke.

I put the saw down.

"What's up?" I asked as I popped off the cap. Yup, I was right, cooked through and through. I finally looked up at him, again hoping to find horror in his eyes. Nope. Just those damn lovey puppy eyes.

"I was wondering. My band has a gig. Would you come and hear us play?" I could hear the plea in his voice. He would never give up; I was starting to realize that.

"Sorry, but I'm busy."

"I never said when it was though. How can you be busy next Tuesday? Can't you re-arrange your schedule?" It all flew out in a panicked tone.

Damn. I need to learn to hear when things are before I say 'No'.

"Well, see my cat…Mrs. Bigglesworth? Um…well.." I was struggling to figure out something he would believe. He wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, so I hoped it would work in my favor.

"She..uh.…she has to go in for surgery tomorrow…for…um…a stomach reduction? Yeah." She was a fat cat, and frankly, if they offered it, I would get her in for that surgery. "And..uh…and when she's done I have to spoon feed her every 2 hours. Yeah. Sorry, the vet said it will be like that for about a week."

_GOD, if you are listening, Please, Please, Please let him buy that!_ I whispered to myself as I looked up at him.

"Oh. Sorry to her about that. Maybe next time?" Still having hope in his voice.

Really? He bought it? Geez. And he still thinks something will happen. Do I have to become a Super Bitch so he'll stop? By looking at his big blue eyes, I made the biggest mistake.

"Sure. MAYBE next time."

_Why? Why am I such a sap that I can't seriously hurt this guy?_ Sure he's hot. Sure I could totally see myself having a good time with him. But he is still annoying as all hell! UGH!

"Hey, I gotta get back to work, Trav. I have a lot to do." I pointed to the crowd behind him.

"Right, I'll see you later." He again threw me the sad eyes. Damn him. He started to walk toward the door.

"Oh wait!" I shouted. He stopped immediately. I could see the smile appear on his face even with the back of his head to me. "I need that paper work." I quickly threw off my gloves and walked swiftly over to him. The smile wavered as I got closer. I stood next to him as I signed the release forms for our "Lucky 13". I watched out of the corner of my eye as he leaned over a bit to smell my hair. He quickly lurched back. He hadn't learned. I spend my life in this lab, and with that, I spend my life in the lovely smells that occur in the Medical Examiners building.

My hair hadn't smelled like roses in months, if not years.

_Maybe that would teach him,_ I said to myself.

Persistent little bastard. I handed back the papers he needed and sent him on his way.

I turned my attention to the newcomer. If he was a possible murder vic, then there should be similar markings on him. Odd, crescent-shaped wounds. Pale skin. Cold to the touch. That would describe the other twelve.

I walked over to the black plastic bag and began to unzip it. He didn't smell. That was a nice change from Mr. Popcorn. He actually smelled ok. Nice, even. _I really am sick._

Once the bag was open, I could see he was nicely dressed. His hair was a perfect tousle. _I have a freakin' Runway Model on my table_. Chiseled face with perfect features. A slightly muscular build. He was hot, to say the least. One thing that made him look ugly was that his eyes were still open. The first responders were usually kind enough to close them. I didn't like seeing their eyes if I could avoid it.

They were black. Empty. They were _his_ eyes. I pulled his lids down.

I took a step back and surveyed the scene in front of me. I crossed my arms in contemplation. _Is he really dead?_ If I hadn't felt the coldness of his skin, I would swear he was just in a trance. I foolishly checked for a pulse, just to make sure. Nothing there. _Yep, he's dead._

He really didn't seem like he was dead, though.

I began to look for the crescent-shaped markings consistent with the others. I checked the neck, having to brush aside the collar of his expensive tweed jacket. I rolled up his sleeves as best as I could and checked his wrists and inner elbows.

I was dumbfounded. I couldn't see anything. _How can he be our 'Lucky 13'?_

When I was about to turn away to look deeper into the paperwork he came with, something caught my eye. He did have the crescents. They were just…_Healed._

_What?_

They were sort of sparkling in my exam light. In fact, he was sparkling under my exam light. I stared at him completely confused. My brow furrowed. _What happened to you?_ My finger brushed along one of the crescents. It was in nearly the exact spot as the others. _Hmm…That is odd._

I realized I still had Mr. Popcorn on the table next to him. I should finish one project before getting started on another. Plus, it felt wrong to just 'dig in' on this art piece of a man. He seriously looked like he could give David a run for his money in an art gallery.

I pulled out my iPod and opted for some rock. I felt jittery for some reason and hoped that I could get some aggression out while listening to my favorite band. I walked my way over to Mr. Popcorn. The smell hit me like a dump truck with a full load. It didn't smell nearly as fresh and made my nose crinkle. _Yuck!...Hmm…I am normal._ I chuckled to myself a bit.

The rest of the exam only took me 1 hour. That was quick considering the extent of his 'well-done' nature. I put the stomach contents in a jar and sent it up to the lab, along with what little blood sample I could find that wasn't congealed. It was the tech's problem now. My assessment would most likely be finalized as an overdose on sleeping medication, not an experimental dinner recipe.

I turned my attention to Lucky 13. _What am I going to do about you?_

I walked over to the bag and started to move him to my empty exam table. He was like stone. _Geez. For being a fit looking guy, you are heavier than the last guy_. It took me a few tries to pull him across to the table. Once there, I knew I wasn't going to move him back. I stopped and caught my breath.

Maybe Trav would be back with another vic and I could persuade him to do it. I decided it was pointless to try and move him to get his jacket off. As much as I felt it was a crime to cut such nice clothing, I had no other choice. _I am so sorry Mr. Jacket. If there was any other way, you would live and hang in my closet._ I went to get my heavy duty scissors. Used only in emergency. The tiny dissection scissors could barely get through a tendon, let alone fine Italian fashion. I turned away and walked toward the supply drawer.

I suddenly felt like I wasn't alone in the room anymore. I smirked.

"What did you forget this time, Trav?" I removed one ear bud to listen for a response. Silence.

I slowly turned around and saw him. The smile faded from my face.

He was just standing there, looking at me like a deer in headlights.

He wasn't dead after all. But he couldn't be alive.

I gripped tightly to my newly acquired scissors and hoped my summer Kickboxing experience would be able to help me. My heart rate began to quicken. _You'll be ok Ash. Stay calm,_ I thought hoping to calm my nerves.

He put his hand up, "I'm not going to hurt you Ashley."

_What? How the hell did he know my name?_ I thrusted my weapon in front of me.

"Don't come any closer!" I slowly started to retreat back to my supply drawer, hoping to find something more intimidating.

"There is nothing to be afraid of. This is a terrible misunderstanding." He took a tiny step forward. I think. He moved so swiftly and quickly, I couldn't tell. But I knew he was closer to me.

I reached into the drawer behind me. I gently caressed each instrument until I found the one I was looking for. _Ouch! Damn it_. I had sliced my pinkie on a scalpel.

"You don't have to hurt yourself. I'm not going to hurt you either." He was looking me up and down.

_How in the world did he know I hurt myself? Could he read minds or something?_

"Yes, I can." He said with a slight smile.

My eyes were nearly popping out of my head.

_Then read this. Get the fuck away from me!_

He started to laugh. I couldn't believe it! He was laughing at me, at my threat. He took another step forward.

I suddenly felt electricity running through me. As I stared at him, his face looked at me with utter confusion.

"Why are you speaking Italian?" He asked as he took a step forward.

_What? I wasn't speaking Italian. I don't know Italian. Spanish, yes. Italian, no._

_Why is she denying that she was just speaking Italian? I just heard her._ _Proteggimi. She specifically said 'Protect Me'. Am I going crazy?_ I heard a man's voice in my head. It was his voice.

_Maybe just a little. _I responded sarcastically. Good to know I still had a sense of humor even when scared shitless.

"What did you just say?" His voice said with a slight panic.

"You asked 'Am I going crazy?' and I responded 'Maybe just a little.'" _Is he not paying attention anymore or what?_

_How could she have heard that? I didn't say it aloud._ I heard his voice again.

_You mean how can I hear you now?_

He had a shocked look on his face. "WHAT?!"

_You hear me and I hear you…yeah, I guess that is a bit strange. Hey! Get back! I told you not to come any closer_.

I gripped my scissors a bit tighter. My unoccupied hand finally found the Butcher's knife I had been looking for. Blood was slowly trickling down my hand. A large droplet fell off the tip of my finger and hit the floor.

_Fight the thirst, Edward. Fight the thirst._

_Thirst? Thirst for what?_

_I'm not here to hurt you. _He took another step forward at this thought.

The electricity running through me intensified. It felt like it was radiating out away from me. I looked up at him. I could see he was slowly being pushed back by an invisible bubble.

_Proteggere mia figlia_

_Protect her._

My head felt fuzzy, and my eye lids began to sag. Blackness hit me as I heard my mother's voice.


	2. Chapter 2 Lucky 13

**AN: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters. They are property of Stephenie Meyer.**

**Enjoy! Oh and again, if you have suggestions or opinions, please tell me!**

EPOV

I couldn't move. I had now idea where I was, and all I could see was blackness.

_Was Alec in that alleyway?_ He couldn't have been. I would have known. Alice would have seen something, but she hadn't. All she had been seeing for the past month were flashes.

_Where am I? What happened?_

The last thing I remembered was seeing the dark figure run into the alley and disappear. Next thing I know, I'm in total darkness. I must have been knocked out.

_That's not possible._ I was a fucking vampire; I didn't get "knocked out".

I heard a voice in the distance. It felt like I was in a tunnel.

_I have a freakin' Runway Model on my table_. The voice was soft.

I didn't understand it. My head felt so clouded.

_Is he really dead? _Of course I was dead. I had been since 1918. What was going on?

_Who are you? _I asked. I still couldn't see anything.

_Yep, he's dead_. Duh. I felt someone touching my arm. They were tugging at my sleeves. It felt so far away, too. Whoever that dark figure was, they were up to no good. And neither was the person talking to me.

_How can he be our 'Lucky 13'?_

_What? What 'Lucky 13'?_ I was baffled. Who was this person? What did they want? I could tell she was looking at my scars. _What happened to you?_ My life was saved, that's what happened to me. _Hmm….That is odd._ They said with a hrmph.

I could feel the person step back. I think it was a female. The voice was still too far away to say for certain. I heard some rock music and humming faintly in the background.

My senses were coming back to me. I heard the sound of bones cracking and I could smell. I smelled blood. Blood. Death. _Where the hell am I?_

There was definitely a female in the room with me. I could smell her now. I could just make out the scent of roses under the overwhelming odor of death.

I felt her coming closer. _What am I going to do about you?_

I was concerned. _What are you going to do with me?_ I was thankful I could feel my strength coming back to me. With each passing second, the shroud of darkness was receding.

I felt a tug on something under me. Hands were sliding under my underarms. I felt another tug.

_Geez. For being a fit looking guy, you are heavier than the last guy_.

She was trying to move me. I should help her out, just a little bit. _If I can_. I tried to move my legs. They didn't budge.

I felt my body slide across a flat surface. A light was now over me. I could see a bright through the darkness. Just a few more minutes.

_I am so sorry Mr. Jacket. If there was any other way, you would live and hang in my closet._

_What? Oh hell no!_ She would not destroy my jacket. For one, Alice would kill me, and second, I loved this jacket.

I opened my eyes. I seemed to be in a lab of some kind. I sat up. Body bags. Stainless steel. I was in the morgue. Seemed appropriate I guess.

I looked over and saw the young lab attendant. I stood up, but I still felt a bit off. I was hoping she wouldn't notice me so I could quickly escape. She had ear buds in and Sublime cranked to full volume.

"What did you forget this time, Trav?"

_Crap_.

I watched as her back turned slowly around. I was stuck. She was frozen in fear. Her slight smile disappeared to a look of shock.

_You'll be ok Ash. Stay calm._ She was terrified.

_Yes, Ash, you will be ok._

She was scared. "I'm not going to hurt you Ashley."

_What? How the hell did he know my name?_ She threw her scissors in front of her. She was preparing to defend herself, but I could tell she was frozen in fear. I took a tentative step forward.

"Don't come any closer!" She backed up slowly to the counter behind her. How could I convince her I wasn't going to hurt her? All I wanted to do was get home to my family in Forks. I shouldn't have come down here in the first place, but I was never one to back away from a challenge. Someone was killing innocents. Lots of them.

"There is nothing to be afraid of. This is a terrible misunderstanding." I took another minute step forward, doing so quickly and hoping she wouldn't notice.

She did.

I could tell she was trying her best to discretely rummage the drawer behind her.

_Ouch! Damn it_.

I knew instantly she had cut herself. I could smell her blood in the air now. Sweet. Tasty. I stayed focused on the young girl in front of me. She was looking for a bigger knife. In a drawer full of knives.

"You don't have to hurt yourself. I'm not going to hurt you either."

_How in the world did he know I hurt myself? Could he read minds or something?_ Her face was full of confusion and anger. It was flushed red and sweat was starting to form around her temples. I figured that since she saw me in my full undead glory, I might as well be truthful.

"Yes, I can." I said, finding it all a little funny. I thought if this ended well, I would look back and laugh.

_Then read this. Get the fuck away from me!_ She was precocious, wasn't she. Yea, I would definitely laugh at this later. Emmett would get a laugh with me.

I couldn't help but laugh. The whole scene was funny to me. Here she was. Tall. Blonde. Maybe in her early twenties. Gunning for a fight to defend herself against one of her former clients. Most would have fainted by this point. I took another careful step forward, as I put a hand up, letting her know I was harmless. _I come in peace._

I felt an odd electricity in the air. It was coming from her. It was oddly stifling.

"Proteggimi!" She shouted it. I shocked me.

"Why are you speaking Italian?" She didn't look Italian, but I have been surprised in the past. She hadn't thought anything in Italian up to that point.

_What? I wasn't speaking Italian. I don't know Italian. Spanish, yes. Italian, no._

_Why is she denying that she was just speaking Italian? I just heard her. Proteggimi. She specifically said_ '_Protect Me'. Am I going crazy?_

_Maybe just a little. _

"What did you just say?" I was panicked. NO ONE could hear my thoughts. Not unless they had my power or Aro's…I had never met someone who could answer my thoughts with their own.

"You asked 'Am I going crazy?' and I responded 'Maybe just a little.'" _Is he not paying attention anymore or what?_

_How could she have heard that? I didn't say it aloud._

_You mean how can I hear you now?_

"WHAT?!" I was truly shocked. This wasn't possible.

_You hear me and I hear you…yeah, I guess, that is a bit strange. Hey! Get back! I told you not to come any closer_.

I had taken another minute step forward. I tried not to scare her anymore than what her heart was revealing to me. She pulled out the Butcher's knife and thrusted it toward me. I could see the blood dripping down her arm. I hadn't hunted in a few days, and my thirst rushed through me.

_Fight the thirst, Edward. Fight the thirst._

_Thirst? Thirst for what?_ Her voice shook with fear.

_I'm not here to hurt you. _

I took another step forward, hoping she wouldn't notice.

I felt the electricity in the room intensify tenfold. It was projecting out from her. I tried to move forward again, but instead I was being pushed back. She had a force field around her.

I suddenly felt another presence in the room. I was filled with love, compassion, fear and protection. I felt as though I was standing in front of a mother grizzly and her cub.

_Proteggere mia figlia_

_Protect her._

She did not say this. This was from the presence that was now engulfing the room. I watched as Ashley's eyes rolled back into her head, and she fell to the floor. Her head barely missed the open drawer she had recently been rummaging through. Her head hit the floor with a loud smack. I took a step forward but was stopped.

_Protect her_.

A flood of images flew into my head.

A little blonde girl, a young toddler. She was playing in a packed toy room. Two women were watching over her. A Mother and Grandmother. The little girl then pointed at a teddy bear across the room, and it gently floated over to her. The two women celebrated.

In the next image, the Mother was standing in front of the adolescent version of the blonde child. She seemed to be protecting her from an unseen presence. The Woman threw her hand out and a shot of sparks flew toward the unknown assailant. The little girl stood behind her mother and was projecting a force field.

The next was just of the Woman. She held in her hands an ancient book and was placing it into a hope chest. _To my kiddo. Never forget_. She placed the note inside and locked the chest.

Next was of the same Woman and the child, but she was no longer a child; she was a teenager. The girl was standing over the Woman. A man was on the other side of the sterile hospital bed. The Woman was intubated. A nurse removed the tube. The Woman fought to breath. She fought to stay and protect her child, but she couldn't fight nature anymore. The images faded to black.

_Protect my daughter._

I could feel the pain and the love all around me. If I could still cry, I would have. The feelings were overwhelming. I had to do something. I knew that danger was going to be coming after this girl. What it was, I couldn't say. I knew I had to protect her. My eyes refocused, and I turned to look at the lifeless body on the ground.

I hurried across the room to make sure she was ok. She was breathing and her heart rate was steady, I could tell that. I couldn't hear anything from her. She must have been knocked out or had a minor concussion. Carlisle would have to check on her soon. Very soon.

_He should be down here. At least, I think he should._

I could hear Alice. She was close.

"Edward?!" I heard Bella. My Bella.

"In here!" I spoke up a bit, no need to yell with our hearing.

Alice, Bella and Jasper walked in.

Bella ran to me, and I stood to embrace her. I always hated leaving her, even for a few short hours. She looked like she was in pain. I leaned down and whispered soft enough for only her ears. "Everything is ok now. I'm safe, and I'm back in the embrace of the woman I love. The woman I will love for eternity." Her face relaxed a bit, and I turned my attentions to Alice.

"Oh God! Is she ok?" Alice rushed to my side.

_Why didn't she already know?_ I looked at her with a quizzical look.

"I saw her in my vision when you finally returned on my radar as well. We were all in Seattle looking for you, but you just disappeared. I couldn't see you at all. We thought you were dead, but then I saw you in the morgue. You were coming in and out until your image was stronger." She looked down at the young girl on the floor. "I saw her then, but after that she just disappeared, too. What happened?"

I thought for a second. What had happened tonight?

She could read thoughts, make a force field and could move objects with her mind. Her mother could shoot sparks. What was on the cover of that book? _Le Imbarcazioni di Magia. The Craft of Magic._

_Witch. She was a witch. And she didn't know it._ My face flashed with shock. Then fear.

"She's a witch."

A look of shock spread over all their faces.

"What?" All three asked at the same time. Jasper seemed the most concerned, next to Bella, while Alice seemed intrigued.

"She has an electrical force field that she can project, and can move objects just by thinking of them. Most interesting is that she could hear my thoughts and respond to them."

They were silent, each looking down at the now lifeless girl on the floor.

Alice was the first to respond. "What? She was using her powers, but… she doesn't know?"

"Nope." I shook my head from side to side. It was astonishing to me as well. I looked down. She looked so innocent. I could still see the blonde-haired toddler giggling once she got her hands on the teddy bear.

"We need to get her to Carlisle, as quickly as possible. She hit her head on the floor when she fainted." In one swift motion, I had her scooped up in my arms, and we were out the door.


	3. Chapter 3 Dream

**AN: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters. They are property of Stephenie Meyer. **

**A thousand thanks to amesynth for her patience and diligence in beta-ing!**

**Now Ash's POV!**

"Daddy!" I shouted as my body jerked awake. I opened my eyes to a new room. My room.

_What is with me?_

I knew what the problem was. Another nightmare. I just didn't know how it was triggered. I could still hear the cries in my head. His eyes. So dark and empty. _Daddy!_ rang through my head again.

I shook my head violently as I reached for the light. The bright red numbers on my alarm clock showed 3:48AM. _Seems about right._ I realized I was covered in sweat. _Eww._ I got up to shower; maybe it would help me clear my head.

I had hoped that my moving up to Seattle would help create some distance between me and the nightmares. Nearly 1,200 miles separated me from their origins now. I missed New Mexico desperately, but I knew I could never go back. I had been up here for nearly three years already, and the nightmares hadn't followed. Until recently. They were becoming more frequent and more intense. This past month I had suffered through 10. There were times I felt trapped inside them, like I couldn't leave and wouldn't wake up.

I entered the bathroom and turned on the light. The flash of the lights nearly blinded me. The bright fluorescents in combination with the reflection from the mirror caused the room to seem much brighter. There was an electricity pulsating in the air. It made the hair on my arm stand up.

_Never forget._

A voice. I looked around the small room. It was just me and my reflection. I recognized the voice, but I couldn't be certain.

"Mom?" I said aloud…_I'm crazy. I knew it, I am crazy._ I grabbed my head. A sharp pain was suddenly throbbing in my ears. The bright lights didn't help at all. It felt like a migraine but a million times worse.

_Never forget kiddo._

"What? Never forget what?" I struggled to speak. The pain was unbearable. The light was so bright; I could barely keep my eyes open. The throbbing in my head intensified as the voice spoke again.

_Never forget._

I started to feel dizzy. I slid against the wall and fell to the floor. The chilled tile felt good against my hot skin. My eye lids got droopy. Blackness soon followed.

--------------------------------------------------

When I woke up, I was still on my tile floor. I had curled up in my teal bathmat and was hugging it like an old teddy bear when I opened my eyes. _I hope I wasn't sucking my thumb, too._ I sat up slowly, not wanting to trigger what ever made me fall last night. _Did I fall?_ I couldn't remember. All I knew was I was on the bathroom floor. Luckily, I had cleaned recently. I stood up and started the water for a shower. _Did I shower last night?_ I looked in the mirror. My face was flushed and my hair was stuck to my head. _Nope_.

I washed quickly. The water didn't feel as comforting as I thought it might. It actually felt suffocating.

Once I got out and toweled off, I put on my favorite jeans and t-shirt. Looking in the mirror, I saw the dark circles under my eyes. _I need coffee_. I tossed my hair into a bun, threw on my sandals, grabbed my purse and ran out the front door of my apartment. I heard Mrs. Bigglesworth meow in detest that I hadn't filled her food bowl. _I'll do it when I get back._ I hadn't even checked the clock when I left, but once I got outside, I realized it was still dark out. The sun wasn't even close to peaking over the horizon. I checked the clock on my phone. 4:45 AM. _What?_ I felt like I had been asleep for hours. Had it only been an hour? Or had I slept 24 hours straight?

I checked the date on the phone this time. Saturday July 26. _Hmm…_The date didn't get passed me. _One week_. I hated anniversaries. And then of course, there was my birthday in another two weeks. 22. My cousin had been bugging me for weeks to take me out. I wasn't sure I would survive another Krista-organized jaunt through downtown. I really didn't remember my last birthday, aside from my massive hangover and discovering I had a plethora of numbers from guys written across my hands and arms. And who could forget the one that wandered a bit below the belt? Oh yeah. Me. Must have been fun.

I refocused my attention on my desire for some coffee, and I was suddenly starving as well. I had never been happier to live down the street from a 24-hour coffee shop 'til this moment. The streets were empty, aside from the street sweepers and dump trucks driving by. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, which was odd considering I lived in Seattle.

As I crossed the street, I heard footsteps behind me. _Am I being followed?_ I looked around. Nothing. The streets were quiet. My footsteps quickened, but I could still hear the other set footsteps behind me. I stopped abruptly. The noise stopped as well. Still nothing. _I am crazy. Crazy and paranoid._ I hurried my steps to the diner.

When I entered, I could tell I would be the only sober one in the place. Everyone was dressed to kill but a bit off-kilter now. The sweat had washed away some of the makeup, and sex hair was now being sported by most of the girls. The guys' shirts were untucked and a few were missing buttons. The group of six in the corner was the loudest. There was way too much laughter. Loud. Annoying laughter. Drunken laughter. Then I heard _their _laughter. I looked around. They weren't here. They couldn't be. Could they? After thoroughly scanning the occupants of the diner, I concluded it was a remnant from my earlier nightmare. _I'm definitely crazy_. I went up to the first stool I saw and sat down. The aged woman walking towards me told a story with her face. Beat down, overworked and pissed at the kids behind me.

"What can I get for ya?" She asked in a gruff 'Get the hell outta here' tone.

"Coffee. Orange juice. Short stack. Two eggs, sunny-side up. Bacon. And….hash browns." I said without looking at the menu.

"That ALL?"

"Yup." I was starving, apparently. When I thought back on my day, I really hadn't eaten much. In fact, had I eaten anything at all? Now that I thought about it, I hadn't had anything since I was at work on Thursday night. Thursday. What had happened at work on Thursday? As I tried to remember what I couldn't, the waitress returned with my coffee. _Thelma_. Written in plain black lettering on her name tag, which complemented the pale blue polyester outfit she was most likely required to wear.

"Cream?" She asked. I noticed she had lipstick on her teeth. Bright pink. A similar color my grandmother wore.

"Yes please."

As she handed me the mini containers of half-and-half I noticed that her roots were showing. She had died her hair a dirty blonde with bright highlights, but her natural brown and gray were peaking through. It reminded me of someone. It clicked. She looked like an odd hodgepodge of my mother, grandmother and Bette Midler.

"You see something you like, Sweet Pea?" Her odd gaze broke mine. I had been staring at her with a look of a child's longing for their mother. She saw it as me checking her out. _You wish._

"Um…sorry." I turned my head to my coffee. She said something I didn't hear and walked away.

_What is going on with me?_ I asked myself for the second time that night.

I began dumping the creamers into my cup. _I should just ask for some coffee in my milk next time_. I chuckled. The sugar jar was packed solid. It took some tapping against the counter to loosen a few grains. I became hypnotized as they fell from the spout. _Snowflakes_.

The drunkards behind me broke my train of thought. I turned to see what the commotion was all about.

"Hey Thelma! Where's Louise?!" One of the obnoxious boys shouted. Now I knew why she had the pissed-off look on her face. He was acting like a boy, even though he was a grown man. By the way his hair was styled and slightly receding, I would guess he was in his early 30's. Working with all ages of the dead gave me a gift for guessing ages. He was extremely immature. I could tell by the way his fries were built up into a log cabin on his plate. Any other time I would have seen that as endearing, but his hand was shoved down the shirt of the girl next to him. _Classy._ One of them caught me looking, and quick to ensure the attention would remain on poor Thelma, I averted my eyes.

I began to go through the events that led me to sleep away all of Friday. I went to work on Thursday night. I worked on Mr. Popcorn and needed to work on the drowner, the cat guy and the 12 possible murder victims.

No.

No, I had 13 possible murder victims. _Lucky 13_. I remembered.

-------------------------------------------

I don't know how I ended up on the floor of the diner, but I did. When I opened my eyes, I was looking up into amber-colored ones. I had seen these eyes before. _How do I know these eyes?_

"Do you remember me Ash?" The smooth velvety voice of the male leaning over me asked. Recognition of the man in front of me hit like a ton of bricks.

"Um…yeah…I do." I did remember him. He was Lucky 13.

He picked me up and carried me out of the diner. I could hear some of the voices inside.

"What the fuck was her issue?" The drunken man in the corner asked the waitress as he returned to his seat. I could see that there were fries everywhere. His log cabin was destroyed. _Did I do that?_

The cool air of dawn hit me as my savior opened the door.

"My name is Edward Cullen, by the way. We were never formally introduced." I stared up into his eyes in shock. I wasn't scared. I could tell he was trying to help me. That he would help me. "You sure know how to get attention, I will say that." He said with a smirk and a wink.

"What? What do you mean?" My head felt cloudy. I had no idea what he was talking about. I suddenly became aware he was still carrying me. We were walking down my street toward my apartment building.

"Was it really necessary to attack that brute in the corner? Granted, he was a pig, but still. He didn't do anything to you."

_What had I done? I don't remember attacking anyone_. I stared up at him like he was the crazy one.

"Don't believe me?" He looked down into my eyes. I felt like he was peering into my soul.

"No?" I wasn't sure anymore. I wasn't certain about a damn thing. Hell, I was being carried by a dead man. When did this ever happen to anyone? If I could believe this was happening, then I guess I could believe I attacked that man.

"Your eyes were all ablaze when you got up from your stool. Very swiftly and matter-of-factly. You reached for the brute, flipped his fries in his lap, and yelled 'Maschilista!'" I could tell he was looking at me to see if I remembered anything. "Frankly, I would have called him a douche, but chauvinist works too."

_What? I called him a what?_

"You called him a male chauvinist in Italian. Like I said, I would have called him a douche, but you did a fine job." He looked ahead with a grin on his perfect face. "If you knew what he was thinking, about you and the other females in the place, you would have done a lot more bodily harm. I thought about doing it myself, but like I said, you did a fine job."

"Um, can you put me down?" I felt coherent enough to walk. At least I thought I could.

"Sure." He set me down with such grace, it made me think he was setting down a feather. "Are you ok? Any dizziness? Nausea?"

I was surprised at how much concern he had. He kept one arm around my back to make sure I was steady.

"No, I'm fine. I really did that? Threw the fries at the guy?" I chuckled. It seemed like something I would want to do but would never have the balls to actually do.

"Yup. Let's get you back home. Alice and Jasper are waiting for us."

"Who?" I asked as he walked ahead. I stopped for a second. _What am I doing?_ I shrugged and ran up to catch him. I somehow knew I would be safe.

___________________________________

When we entered my apartment, I noticed Mrs. Bigglesworth was being entertained by a shoelace held by, who I assumed to be, Jasper. She threw her 20-pound body at the flying toy, trying with all her might to catch it. Jasper was laughing and smiling, enjoying the game as much as she was. Alice was busy tidying up my kitchen. I hadn't done my dishes in over a week, thanks to the overtime shifts at work.

My apartment was not much more than a small living room, a dollhouse-sized kitchen, a closet for a bedroom, and a small bathroom. It looked even smaller with four people in it. Or…at least they looked like people.

Alice looked up and smiled at me. "I would have kneed him in the crotch, too." She reached in and gave me a big hug. I was nervous having her wrap her arms around me so suddenly, but my nervousness disappeared quickly and was replaced with humor.

_Whoa._

"That would be Jasper," Edward replied at my shock of the 180 my emotions had done.

"How did you know about the guy?" I eyed Alice suspiciously.

"Oh, we were waiting outside with Edward when you attacked him. Edward thought it would be best that he go in and help you while Jasper and I break into your house. This is a cute place by the way."

She was so tiny and cute. I would have believed anything she told me. She could tell me she was psychic and I would have believed her.

"She is, sort of." Edward threw me a glance and smiled.

"What?" I looked at her. She only smiled modestly.

"Only when my visions aren't on the fritz. Every time you do magic, you disappear."

_Magic? I do magic._ Edward grabbed my hand and led me to the couch.

"How much of Thursday night do you remember?" He asked with a curious, yet cautious, look on his face.

"Well, I remember you. You were dead… then you weren't." He smiled at that. "Then I remember hearing my mom's voice, and I felt like I was falling."

"You don't remember anything else? You don't remember talking to me?" He was hopeful that I did, I could tell, but I couldn't understand why.

I sat back and closed my eyes. I let the images from Thursday flood back to me. Lucky 13. Scissors. _Ouch!_ Blood. _You hear me and I hear you. _Butcher's knife. Blood. _Fight the thirst, Edward. Fight the thirst._

"Oh my God!" My back stiffened as I opened my eyes. I could tell Jasper was trying to make my emotions do another 180, but it wasn't working. I felt an electricity course through me. Edward threw a hand up at Jasper and Alice as they sat up and stepped closer to him with concerned looks on their faces.

"You know I will never hurt you, right?" He asked me, yet, told me at the same time. He was stating a fact, and I believed him with all my heart.

"You're a vampire. You are all vampires." I should have been scared. _Were they going to eat me? What about Mrs. Bigglesworth?_ No. I knew I was safe, but I had to wonder if my cat was too.

Edward started to laugh. "Well, we consider ourselves 'vegetarians'-we survive off the blood of animals- but even so, I don't think Jasper would let us hurt his new play companion." He was almost doubled over with laughter. Jasper looked down at my overweight tabby and smiled.

"She has such a great aura about her." Jasper stated with a huge grin on his face. Alice glided to sit on the arm of the chair he occupied.

"Yes, Ashley, we are vampires. And you, my dear, are a witch." Edward was looking at me with such happiness as he stated the facts.

_How do you? What?_ I said only to myself.

"What do you mean 'You're a witch'?" I asked. The Wicked Witch of the East popped in my head. _Why the hell didn't Glenda pop up first?!_

Edward smirked again. I remembered this had pissed me off the night we met.

_Hey Mr. Stop that!_

_Yes ma'am_ he stated only to himself.

_Hmm…this reading minds thing could come in handy. _

"You have no idea." He smirked again. I could tell that's what usually got the girls. That crooked smirk. Hell, it got me!

"So, really, what do you mean I'm a witch?" I looked at him quizzically.

"Do you have a hope chest?" He asked. His look became serious.

"Yes, but what does that have to do with me being a witch?" I shot him a 'What the hell' look.

"Would you please get it? There is something inside that will explain everything."

I sat for a minute. I tried to remember the last time I looked inside the chest. I didn't remember seeing anything 'witchy' inside. I hadn't looked in it since before my mom died, but still, how would it help me now?

I got up and walked into my bedroom. The tiny closet across from the bathroom was where I had shoved the chest in when I first moved in. I pushed my shoe collection out of the way and uncovered the small chest. It was no bigger than a small microwave oven. I carried it out to the living room. Edward had a look of recognition flash across his face, then it turned into anticipation.

_How do you know what my hope chest looks like?_ I asked so only he could hear.

_Your mother showed me._

_What?! My mom? She's been dead for almost 6 years!_ I was shocked. How on earth could my mom show him this?

"Please sit down and open it. We are here for you." Alice said as she slid to the floor near me. I sat cross-legged in front of the box.

I could still remember the day my mom gave it to me. It was the day before she entered the hospital. She said something important. What was it?

I opened the lid. Inside there was a book I had never seen before. It was the size of a large unabridged dictionary. It looked ancient. On top of it was a note written in my mother's hand writing. _To my kiddo. Never forget._ A tear fell down my face and hit the paper. I hadn't realized I was crying. I placed the note next to me and looked at the book. _Le Imbarcazioni di Magia._ I didn't understand it.

_What does this mean Edward?_ I asked without looking at him. I knew he would hear me.

_It means ' The Craft of Magic.'_

I opened the cover and turned the first page, tentatively afraid of ripping the aging paper. A drawing of a family tree appeared. It traced all the way back to 100AD. The lettering was so tiny, it was hard to read. I noticed at the very bottom was my name. Ashley Baker. My mother's name was above mine. Claire Lilystrand. And my grandmother was above her. Margaretta Plickerd. This was the family line of magic. Of witchcraft. I turned the next page and saw a large family crest. It was so ornate. As I stared into the pictures of dragons and lions, vague memories came back to me.

A teddy bear floating to me. It was floating because I willed it to.

My mother was standing in front of me, protecting me. I pushed myself to protect her and imagined an invisible wall around us. It was real.

As image upon image flooded back to me, I remembered. I knew everything now.

"I remember." I told the three vampires sitting in my living room. "I know what I am."

**AN: Hmm…what's gonna happen next? I wanna know what she now knows!?!**

**Thanks once again to the amazing amesynth! **


	4. Chapter 4 Understanding

**AN: I do not own Twilight or the characters, Stephenie Meyer does. **

EPOV

I looked at the young woman sitting on the ground in front of me. She was changed. There was a confidence, a sureness radiating from her that hadn't been there before, not even on Thursday. Though she showed a brave face that night, she stood in front of me terrified.

"I remember." She stated with strength in her voice. "I know what I am."

When we left the lab that Thursday, I was afraid she wouldn't wake up. It wasn't because I thought her physical injuries were severe; frankly she just bumped her head. I was afraid her subconscious wouldn't be able to deal with the events of the night. Seeing a dead man rise, and the overwhelming force that her powers had over her, all could have done unknown damage. That she didn't know about them scared me the most. _Had she unknowingly harmed someone?_

I saw Carlisle once we exited the building. The streets were dark and lifeless, as he stood like a statue by his car. Carlisle was surprised to see the four of us run up to him with a fifth lying lifeless in my arms.

_What happened?_ He looked at me with concern. Always a father to us.

_I'm fine. You need to help her._ Though he couldn't hear me, I knew he understood. I lifted my arms a bit.

"She hit her head when she fainted. Her heart rate and breathing are all normal. She just won't wake up." I stated it all in quick succession.

Alice had grabbed Ash's purse on the way out of the lab. She was currently digging through it in search of a home address.

"She lives a couple of blocks from here. I think we should take her home. Carlisle can treat her there." Alice suggested and started up the street. The rest of us followed obediently. We knew better than to argue with Alice.

Bella had a hold of my elbow and refused to release it. I was thankful her newborn strength was finally weakening; otherwise, she would have crushed my arm. It had been a rough three years since her transition. Plenty of nearly broken bones were experienced. Every time I would hold her hand, I expected at least one finger to snap. She rarely noticed. Thankfully, her hugs were just now becoming bearable.

"What were you thinking? You shouldn't have gone alone, Edward. What if something happened to you? What if this isn't the work of 'some newborn'? What if it was a trap made by Aro?" Bella spoke so quickly, the terror and anger sliced into me. Her irrational fear that Aro would steal one of us away was still irritating. "Did you not think about me and Renesemee before you left on your stupid mission?"

The guilt cut in even deeper. Though her eyes were now amber-colored, I would always see her brown ones looking at me. They were currently ripping me a new one. She had mastered her "Mom" look.

"I thought I could handle anything I would find." I gave her my classic smirk, knowing she would swoon over it. "Mind reader, remember?" I sheepishly pointed to my temple.

Her glare didn't waver.

I knew she was concerned for my safety, and it wasn't the best idea for me to chase after the unknown without back up. I wondered when she would finally forgive me. It was times like these I wished she would drop her shield for me.

We walked in silence the rest of the way, her grip getting tighter as Ash turned her head into my chest and sighed. _Crap, I don't need a pissed off Bella_.

When we reached Ash's apartment at 4 AM, the streets were still quiet, which was helpful. It wouldn't look all that great if someone saw me carrying a lifeless body in my arms while my family followed. We didn't look THAT normal.

Bella refused to let go of my arm, even as we walked into the small apartment, making it difficult to pass through the door jam. A very fat cat sat in the middle of the hallway refusing to move. Jasper worked his mojo, sending out a calming wave, and it began to purr a very hypnotizing sound. He picked it up and went off to one of the two chairs in the small living room.

"Place her on the couch, Edward." Carlisle was walking swiftly over to where his make-shift exam table would be. Luckily, he always had his exam bag with him. Ready and able for any medical emergency he might encounter.

As he poked and prodded Ash, I became increasingly uncomfortable seeing him examine her. I didn't want anyone to touch her. Not even Carlisle. I was becoming oddly protective of her. Bella brought me back to the situation by squeezing my arm. Hard.

"Are you not listening to me?" She was pissed. _Double crap._

"I'm sorry, I was zoned out. What did you say?"

She mumbled something that I didn't quiet catch. It sounded oddly like "Zoned out on the passed-out girl's tits…"

"I asked, are you going to go home with me now, or were you planning on staying behind?" Her glare told me I should think carefully about my answer.

There was frankly only one right answer to this question…I chose the wrong one.

"I'm going to stick around here. Someone has to be here to check on her and ensure her concussion isn't serious." Bella's hand released my arm immediately.

"Why you?" She asked quickly. She pursed her lips together, furrowing her brow.

"I'm not quite sure. I feel the need to protect her." I said as I watched Ash's lifeless body slump back on to the couch. Wrong words to say. They were the words I had told Bella only 4 years ago. I regretted them coming out the second they passed my lips.

"Really?!" She was angry. Really angry. Livid even.

"Bella, it's not like that. She has no idea about her powers." She was refusing to look at me. If she could still turn beat red, she would look like a tomato right now. "We don't know who is coming after her; she needs our help. Bella, you have to understand." I could tell she wasn't listening.

"Are you ready to leave, Alice? I need a ride." She was fuming. Not good.

"Um…actually Bella, it's best if Jasper and I stay here too."

Bella's eyes were on fire.

_Crap. Shit. Crap._ I ran my hand through my hair, wishing only to pull it out. _My life will be Hell_ _because of this…_

"Are you at least going home, Carlisle?" She still wouldn't look at me. Instead, she swiftly brushed past me as she stubbornly headed for the exit.

"Yeah, I'm done here. Remember Edward, if her breaths become too shallow, you will need to wake her immediately. I think it is best you don't surprise her when she first wakes up. Give the girl a few more hours of having a 'normal' life." Carlisle was packing up gear as Bella impatiently tapped her foot near the front door.

I walked over to her hoping she wouldn't punch me. With the amount of anger pulsing through her, I was sure she could find a remnant of her newborn strength to use on me.

"Bella. My love." I hoped this would butter her up. "I will be home as soon as she wakes up and knows the truth."

"What about Renesemee? She has her gymnastics class later and then her ballet…" Bella was pleading with me to leave with her. "She wanted to show you her new skills on the uneven bars, remember? And you told me that you would be with me when we went to the new ballet studio."

I was shocked the first time Renesemee asked to take a ballet class, and even more shocked when Bella was ok with it. Given her past with ballet studios, I wouldn't have thought she would want to set foot in one again. With Renesemee's increased aging, we had to change studios often, to say the least. Every new one scared Bella to death, but she would do anything to keep our daughter happy. This was our sixth studio this year. I was a much bigger fan of the gymnastics. The tutus of ballet made me cringe for some unknown reason. Gymnastics was a skill I knew would come in handy for our immortal child. We had to warn her to not show off too much, though. When you are an 8 year-old-looking child with extreme flexibility and tumbling skills, you draw a bit too much attention to yourself.

"My love. My life. My Bella." I held her face in my hands trying to look deep into her, willing her thoughts to me. "I have to stay here. Something is going to be coming after this innocent girl," I risked a quick glance at Ash asleep on the couch. The image of the little toddler popped into my head again. This time she was crying and clutching her teddy bear. "I know it."

I gave Bella a quick kiss on the forehead before she could pull her head away.

"Give our precious a kiss for me. Tell her I will be home as soon as I can." Bella jerked her head from my hands. The furry was spilling out of every pore.

"Fine. Jake will just go with me. He can see YOUR daughter's new skills in gymnastics." Her words cut into me. I hated when she threw around the fact that Jake was always there for our daughter, right in my face. I knew I should leave this apartment, with my wife, but I felt a strong urge to stay. To stay and protect.

Carlisle got up and walked passed us out the door. "Call if her condition changes. I left a sedative on the nightstand; she may need it later. I think it would be best if you move her to her room now." He was already down the hall. I could tell he didn't want to be any closer to the situation between Bella and me than he could manage.

Bella quickly turned to follow him. I caught her arm and spun her around to face me. _I'm sorry_. I wished she could read my mind. Hopefully she could see it in my eyes. She pulled her arm away from me and was gone.

After Bella and Carlisle left, Alice came up to me in the kitchen. I was looking around to see if there was anything to cook for Ash when she woke up. I knew she would be starving; she was still a human after all.

"What exactly did you mean by, 'I feel the need to protect her'? Is it the same feeling you had when you first saw Bella?" She asked them with nothing but honesty. No hint of anger or irritation. I couldn't read the tone in her words to decide if this was going to end well or not. Luckily, her thoughts told me otherwise.

_If you even think of leaving my sister, I will hunt you down like the dog you will be. No, I shouldn't call you a dog. That would be an insult to Jacob. You would be a coward and a snake._

Yeah, this could end badly.

"Alice, this is nothing like what was between Bella and me."

_Good._

"I was shown… visions…no, they were memories. The 'presence' in the room showed them to me. I think…no, I know they were from her mother." I looked into Ash's room. She looked like a sleeping angel. Innocent. Clueless about the world that was really surrounding her. "Her mother was in the room with us. The electricity I felt was her spirit coming to demand that I protect her daughter. I know it all sounds weird and unbelievable, but I felt it, and I believe it."

Alice looked at me with all-knowing eyes. "I believe you. And you are right. Something or someone will be coming for her. I can't see them, but I know they are coming. I can feel it in my gut."

We both walked out of the kitchen. Jasper was thoroughly amused by the enormous cat.

"That thing is huge." I commented as the giant tried to jump up at a feather Jasper was swinging around.

"I know. But she's so awesome. I can see why people like owning cats; they are naturally calming creatures." Jasper said with a giant grin on his face.

Ash had been asleep in her room for nearly 10 hours. Her breathing was normal and I could hear her thoughts again. She had some very interesting dreams occur. They were so vibrant. I was treated to the sights of a beautiful desert landscape and snow-capped mountains. Walking through a meadow of Indian paintbrushes with a glorious sunset in the background.

Her breathing began to quicken as her dream morphed into new images. Dark, terrifying images. She was no longer in the meadow; instead, she was in a dark room. I heard her whimper from the living room. She was terrified and the darkness was all around her. I quickly left my post on the couch. I ran into her room and grabbed the syringe that Carlisle had left from off the nightstand. I was hopeful the sedative would calm her nerves.

I seized her free arm as she was starting to thrash in her bed. As the cream colored liquid entered her system, I could hear her heart rate and breathing return to normal. Her thoughts of the dark room quickly vanished. She needed to rest; the physical and emotional exhaustion engulfed her entirely.

12 hours passed before anything caught my attention again. Alice had kept herself busy by doing dishes and picking up the living room. When not entertaining the cat, Jasper was reading Ash's copy of _Life of Pi_ and flipping through an old copy of _National Geographic_. The Amazonian Native woman on the cover reminded me of Zafrina. I was still thankful for all that she and her coven had done for my family. Nahuel still kept in touch, giving us advice and insight as to what to expect with Renesmee's maturity.

I heard a yelp in the next room. My senses became alert as I looked at Alice quickly to see if she had heard the noise as well.

"She will be waking up soon." She stated simply and returned to her work.

I searched Ash's mind to get an idea of what was making her jerk in her bed.

A dark room. It was a closet. There were cryptic voices on the other side of the door. Evil laughter rang through the small space followed by screams of agony. She began to whimper and toss in her bed. I could see tears streaming down her cheeks. All I wanted to do was scoop her up in my arms and comfort her, but I knew better.

The images progressed. The dark room turned into dark eyes. They were lifeless and empty. _Daddy? Daddy!_

"Daddy!" She screamed out as she shot up from her bed.

_Daddy!_ rang through my head as I heard her thoughts.

I quickly receded to the shadows of her small room.

She got up and went to the bathroom. When she turned on the light, I knew instantly she wasn't alone. I could feel her mother's spirit surrounding her as she entered the small room. I stayed back to observe the situation as it unfolded.

"Mom?" She was clutching her head in pain.

I heard the voice then.

_Never forget kiddo._

"What? Never forget what?" She stated to the invisible voice. The pain was unbearable for her. She clutched her head, almost pulling out her hair. Her eyes were pressed shut to block out the intense light. I could see that she was in agony. I didn't understand why the spirit would be doing this to her. It took all my might not to run up to help her.

_Never forget._

After she fell to the floor, she slept soundlessly for another hour. Alice joined me in the door way as I watched over Ash's sleeping form. She was so peaceful, I wished so badly she could stay this way forever.

"She will be ok, you know that, right?" Alice stated. She would know, wouldn't she?

"Something in me tells me that might not be the case, Alice." I looked between my little sister's face and Ash's.

Just then, Ash began to wake. Alice and I quickly retreated to the living room. There were still enough shadows to hide us from any untrained eye.

Ash entered the room a few minutes later and almost ran to the front door.

"Do you know where she is going?" I looked at Alice.

"She's going to that diner down the street. Should we follow her?" It wasn't really a question given the fact that she was already skipping to the door. "It will be quite entertaining…at least I think it will." A big grin flashed on her face.

"What did you see, Alice?" Jasper and I asked as we both followed her out. She refused to answer.

"I'm not sure, exactly. I have a feeling our little Ash will cause some trouble, though!" Giggles erupted from her small frame.

As we followed behind Ashley, we stuck to the shadows, not wanting to be seen by her or any possible passer-bys.

_Am I being followed?_

All three of us stopped dead in our tacks. Ashley slowly turned and looked closely into the shadows.

_I am crazy. Crazy and paranoid._

She continued down the deserted street.

All three of us took a seat on a bus stop bench outside the diner. Each began to scan the faces of every occupant, looking for any sign of danger. The drunken brute in the corner caught my attention. He reminded me of the pigs in Port Angeles that almost attacked Bella. The anger began to swell as he caught sight of Ashley. Before I could get up to do anything about it, I noticed Ashley stand from her seat at the counter and turn her attention toward the swine. I could tell she was under the control of her powers; the fire in her eyes gave them away. She walked up to the brute and grabbed his collar.

"Maschilista!" Anger flowed from her as she screamed at the pig.

Fries were then flying everywhere. All three of us stood up in unison, only I took a step forward as the fire in her eyes began to waver. Her lids fluttered and she fainted.

_Every time she uses her powers, she faints…That can't be good._ I remarked for only myself to hear.

I quickly entered the diner before the pig could get close to Ash. _What had she called him? Chauvinist? I would have said douche, but that's just me. _

"Do you remember me, Ash?" I asked as I carefully lifted her head, and her eyes fluttered open.

My focus returned to the young woman sitting before me. She was clutching the large book in her arms.

"I am a witch." She simply stated it as the fact it was. A huge smile spread across her face.

"My mother and grandmother were witches! I remember what my mom said before she entered the hospital, too!" She was almost bouncing in her seat. Her head was flooded with images and thoughts, making it hard for me to focus on one thing. _How could she focus with everything flying through here?_

_Easy. I'm multitasking!_ She threw me a quick smirk.

"My mom told me that I was special. More special than anyone in our family before. I would be blessed with more power and strength, but with that power, more enemies." Ash's eyes were glowing with insight. "She told me of the dark force that hunted our family- looking for 'The One'…Me. They have hunted for 'The One' for centuries. Here I am." She pointed to herself almost mocking the evil.

"Did she ever tell you who this force was?" Alice asked as she edged closer to Ash, feeding off her excitement.

"No. She could never see them. They always wore dark cloaks and hid in the shadows." She began to tremble. Her eyes focused outside of the room.

_Daddy!_ The scream shattered my train of thought.

Tears were now streaming down her face.

"They were the ones that killed my dad." The realization hit her hard. She was lost in her memories, staring blankly out the window. The sun was now peaking above the horizon, casting an odd glow upon her face. Purple colored clouds were slowly rolling in. "They were looking for me, but my dad told me to hide in the closet, and to put my shield up. He was an innocent; he didn't have any powers to protect himself. He had promised my mom the day she died, he would do everything he could to protect me. He gave his life for me." Tears were now spilling out of her.

Alice quickly scooped her up in her arms. "You're ok. We're here for you now. We won't let them get you, will we, Edward?" Alice had panic in her eyes. _I can't see anything. She's gone from my visions._

_That's not good. That is not good at all._

**AN: Next time on _Days of our Lives..._ Oops! Wrong title- what will happen next to Ash? Will Bella forgive Edward? Who are the dark cloaked beings!? Alice can't see ANYTHING?! What does that mean?!**

**You should review before the cloaked beings come after you next!**


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